Cumulus will be responsible for both affiliate and ad sales for Benztown’s voiceover services and will also serve as exclusive ad sales rep for select Benztown Radio Networks programs. The two companies will also create a large collection of production and imaging libraries, with Cumulus managing affiliation and ad sales for all current Benztown production and imaging libraries; and Benztown directing production of the network’s current library offerings.
Cumulus will be repping Benztown shows such as Roundtrip with Dave O, Dr. Bruce Hensel, The Storm Report, Old Farmer’s Almanac, The Todd N Tyler Radio Empire, The Bring It Minute with Tony Horton and Race Report Update. Cumulus Media also signed a sales rep deal with Benztown in June for The Melissa Etheridge Radio Show. That deal is still in effect.
Benztown’s voiceover services include more than 100 individual talents available via barter. Benztown’s imaging group currently has more than 300 affiliates.
The new stable of production libraries will include 19 individual services covering Urban, AC, Hot AC, CHR, Country, Rock, Classic Hits, JACK, News/Talk and Sports. Cumulus Media’s branded libraries (i.e. Adrenaline, Ambush, Horsepower, Goldmine, Avalanche and Turbulence) will still be available. Libraries from both companies remain market exclusive but with the majority of formats, there will now be more than one production service to choose from, providing an alternative in markets where one library is already being used.
RBR-TVBR observation: Now that Cumulus has the 225 Citadel stations under the umbrella, its new 570-station roster is vaulting its Cumulus Media Networks to new heights. The syndicator is commanding some serious gravity within the industry. Look for it to make more deals with independent syndicators, as well as churn out more syndicated offering from its own stable of talent within the group.
